ActionSA vowed on Monday to open criminal charges against three Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) councillors for disrupting polygraph tests being conducted with ActionSA councillors in Tshwane and for stealing the polygraph equipment.

ActionSA said it was outraged by the “criminal behaviour” of EFF councillors, including EFF regional chairperson Obakeng Ramabodu who trespassed on a private venue to disrupt polygraph tests.

Last week ActionSA and the Democratic Alliance (DA) announced that councillors should undergo polygraph tests after eight councillors within the multiparty coalition supported the Congress of the People’s mayoral candidate Murunwa Makwarela as mayor of Tshwane.

ActionSA chairperson Michael Beaumont said the party announced its caucus requested polygraph tests to determine whether councillors' votes had been bought.

Ramabodu has since condemned ActionSA’s decision on polygraph tests, saying it was inhumane and insensitive.

The EFF in Tshwane called on the municipal speaker to involve the South African Local Government Association and the Electoral Commission of South Africa to protect the councillors.

Beaumont said the EFF was revealing itself daily as a criminal enterprise that is willing to resort to criminal acts to protect their newfound alliance with the African National Congress.

Beaumont explained that the move by the EFF demonstrated how desperate they were to stop the truth from coming out and said the party was willing to do anything to hide what is believed to be the criminal bribing of councillors within the coalition. 

“We are now more convinced than ever that we will get to the bottom of what the EFF is trying to hide about how their candidate for mayor was elected. ActionSA will not rest until those involved are arrested and removed as councillors from the City of Tshwane,” he said.

Comment from EFF will be added once received.